These features were the cause of the early,enormous success of this "revolution". However,the "greenrevolution" methods no longer appear to be so successful. Though the population continues to grow,food production has fail to keep up with it.
There are a number of reasons for this. One reason lies in the expense of the new farming methods. The new kinds of grain produce much more than traditional grain,but only under certain conditions. In order to get maximum production,farmers must use large amounts of expensive chemical fertilizers. They also need to use expensive chemical insecticides since the new grains are more easily damaged by insects. Expensive watering systems are also necessary for these grains,especially in drier areas. Many farmers cannot afford to buy all the chemicals and equipment.